Airbnb host asks me to lie

So my Airbnb host asked me to lie and say I'm a friend if asked... which was fine with me UNTIL I just got the Spanish Inquisition from a security guard. He wanted to see my Facebook to prove we are friends!!!! Plus the host only told me this when we were less than 1 week from arriving so they have really put me in a bit of a pickle. I don't really want to lie but I just want to enjoy my time OS and there are no places available for this price in this area and I really don't want the hassel of moving especially since we planned this trip so far in advance only to be told last minute of this situation. Hmmm what to do?

Asking guests to say they are "friends" is extremely common with Airbnb rentals... renting out a home on a short-term basis is in a legal grey area or outright illegal in most cities. If you're not comfortable with this, stick to hotels.

It's very rare to actually be questioned, but if you do run into this situation in the future, just say, "I'm house sitting for a family friend." Pretty much any follow-up question can be answered with some variation of, "I don't know, he/she is really close to my parents."

I agree. At least the host could have informed me before I put the deposit down. We exchanged emails before I booked. Then at least it would have been my decision. By not informing me that I will have to lie until the last minute and after I had paid a deposit is really crap. The host should either stop renting out the apartment or inform guests very early of the situation so they can at least make an informed choice. Feeling very stressed :(

Hm, maybe I've just been asked by hosts to do this as a precaution so often that it seems normal to me. I see your point of view, and I'd retract my statement that guests should use hotels if they're not comfortable with this type of request.

Ok thanks for the advice. I was pretty comfortable with saying I am a friend until the guard started asking me so many questions. I just wanted to go upstairs and eat my dinner but he wouldn't let me leave until he had finished his 'questioning'. I'll just stick to my story that I am a friend but not a close friend if he keeps asking and hopefully he will just stop asking. I tried to get him to call my host but he said no. That is when he asked to look at my Facebook (which I obviously said no to). Eventually he let me leave.

Legal gray area yes but we all know the real reason they do this is because these buildings have rules against short term rentals. I love airbnb and use it whenever I can but fuck landlords who put their guests in this situation. I live in a very secure building, and I own my apartment, when the person across the hall tried this trick they nearly got evicted (subletting was also prohibited in their lease) because their constant stream of "friends" was very noticeable.

I would leave an appropriate review when you leave so other guests don't have to deal with an overzealous doorman.

In another thread you said you were worried about being kicked out. I wanted you to know that there is very little a doorman or building can do to keep you out without an expensive and lengthy legal process. It's the host who suffers if your Airbnb status is discovered, not you. They will get fined or evicted. The building can do nothing to you.

I don't think they want the hassle of kicking you out, especially if your stuff is already in the apartment, because they'd have to make sure your property is gathered up and given back to you. They're most likely just gathering evidence that the host frequently has unaccompanied "friends" staying over so they can take action against the owner of the apartment.

Don't freak out over this, enjoy your vacation! In the unlikely situation where you get kicked out, you'll call Airbnb support and they would take care of you, especially because you've communicated with the host about the problem through the Airbnb messaging system.

Ok good. Yeah we used Airbnb messaging so hopefully they would help us. Yeah it does seem like the guard just wants to get evidence against the host. I'll just stick to my story and tell him to call my host if he has questions

Your primary concern is you - so ask yourself, how big a deal is this for you in terms of enjoying the rest of your holiday. If its not a big deal, stay and enjoy yourself. If not, call Airbnb and try to get out. But frankly the hassle of changing apartments will likely be much worse.

Regardless, this is a situation that calls for you to 100% give an honest review. I would rate someone down 1-3 stars for putting me in that position. Simply asking someone to be discrete I think is FINE. Even asking someone to say you're a friend is "OKAY." But if you know that the guest will literally be quizzed, that's FUCKED. And if the doorman is asking to see your god damn facebook, then the host knows.

So I'd drop them from a 5 to a 3 or less, and add a detailed note saying when he asked you to lie, and how it impacted your stay. But also be honest about the other stuff - if he's generally great, don't forget to say that.

ok good advice. I think i'll wait a few days and see what happens. Hopefully nothing happens. The guard asking to see my Facebook was crazy. Everything else is great and the host is very responsive and the place is great. But in the end I should give them less stars just so that other guests are aware of the situation and don't have to handle the Spanish inquisition.

I understand what you mean to some degree. But the welcome experience and how you feel coming home is part of the experience. If you're worried walking in because you may be asked to identify yourself, that impacts your stay. When your stay is directly impacted by something specific to the host or his apartment then you should reflect that in the rating. Why wouldn't you?

Oh ok. What is the best way to let other guests know so they can be correctly informed and not just be told last minute about this situation. I'm quite worried I will get kicked out and that is really not a great feeling when you are trying to enjoy a trip.

You made a lot of assumptions there. How would a host know that a doorman would be a dick like that?

OP, tell the host ASAP. He/she maybe being targeted by the building cuz of Airbnb not being "legal" in the building or in city. If you as a guest knew that the municipality didn't allow Airbnb then you are also to blame. You should be prepared for such consequences as being harrassed by doorman. Now if that is not the case and building or the doorman just being dick then just deal with it.

You have the keys to the place. Enjoy your holiday. I have stayed in way way worse situations and just sucked it up. You probably got a better deal then you would have gotten in a hotel and a little bit of trouble with a doorman is nothing.

If you have a doorman who asks to see your facebook, that is a VERY high level of review. Yes, I expect a host to know that. You disagree, that's your right. But you have to look at objective evidence. Here we have a host who asked him to be discrete a week ago, and the guest gets the first degree upon arrival. Suggests, strongly, host is up to no good.

Also, u/ihaveasaltlamp, please 100% ignore u/renoirm who is clearly giving wrong information and appears to be intentionally misleading you, or trolling you at best:

You are NOT to "blame" if you are staying in a building where the host is not legally allowed to host. First, you never knew that. Second, even if you did, I've never heard of a city that blames the guest. This is fear mongering at best.

If you tell the host, do it because you want to, or to put the host in his place. Don't do it because you think you owe the host - you owe the host nothing. He/she put you in this position.

You should not be "prepared" to be harassed. If someone tells you to be discrete, I would give them the benefit of the doubt and assume they just are private folk - you would not assume they are operating an illegal AirBnB and you should suffer harassment as a result.

The idea that you just have to "deal" with the doorman being a dick is bullshit. The doorman is part of the building and part of your experience - evaluate it.

The fact u/renoirm has stayed in "way way worse situations" is irrelevant to your situation, and frankly only a reflection on his cheapness or bad decision making, not a reflection on your ability to "suck it up."

I told the host. I agree in this case I am not to blame. Had the host told me about the situation earlier and I still chose to stay here then I would "suck it up" but that is not what happened. I am in the city for 4 months and there are not a lot of alternatives to Airbnb for that length of rental and a hotel would be way too expensive. I'm pretty stressed out and worried I will get kicked out. I can avoid the doorman by using a side door but to feel this way for 4 months will suck and getting kicked out will be worse

Troll them? No, I have stayed at almost a hundred of airbnbs and have been a super host myself. I have a bit more experience then you I think on Airbnb from some of your previous comments on this sub.

I have a doormen in a few of my buildings. Some are cool, a rare few are dicks. Do I know the bad ones, yeah. If they gave someone staying in my place some grief I would like to know. They would get nothing for xmas and get complaints from me to their management.

And the person would be to blame if they are renting in NYC and get some problems with the building (wait are you from manhattan as per your name). The fine I have heard is $3k, the OP as a guest should try and be conscious of that when booking.

First, you have no idea how much experience I have. Additionally, experience is irrelevant to this issue.

Second, don't look at my previous comments - it's creepy you creeper.

Third, if you're going to say "How would a host know that a doorman would be a dick like that" it's usually wise not to follow up with "I have a doormen in a few of my buildings ... a rare few are dicks ... Do I know the bad ones, yeah." This one was genuinely painful.

Fourth, you stiff your doorman for trying to keep strangers out of your building. You're honestly just doing my work for me mate.

Fifth, if you live in NYC, which saddens me, then you're either retarded or trolling - the guest is 100% not "to blame" or in any way liable for "problems with the building." The host is the only one liable - the HOST is the one who would pay $3K (not the guest).

Sixth, it's not the guest's host to prevent the city from identifying your illegal rental and saving you a fine of $3k. Entitled much?

Seriously - you're a fictional person right? None of this can be real.

I agree if it was NYC I would have known about issues with Airbnb and i would be in the wrong as much as the host but it is not NYC and the issue is with the building not the city. The host should really have told me earlier so I would have more options because now I feel like I am in a bit of a crap situation. Can they kick me out of the building? I am here for 4 months

I told the host straight away. My only concern is that I will get kicked out. I didn't know about any issues prior to booking and the issue is with the building not the city. The host really left it to the last minute to tell me and I would have probably booked elsewhere had I been correctly informed.

You made a lot of assumptions there. How would a host know that a doorman would be a dick like that?

Does it even matter? It's pretty obvious the host knows the airbnb is against the building's rules and is asking his guests to lie to the building (no other reason I can think of to have your guest lie unless you're hiding something) that in and of itself is reason enough to drop the star review.

If the host is asking you to lie one of two (or both) things are happening.

Depending on the city - the host has an illegal or undocumented or unregulated rental. They know it and they want you to help cover for them. -or- The HOA of the building prohibits short term rentals (many do) and the owner knows that and wants to avoid a large fine or getting kicked out by having you cover for him.

Unless I'm missing another possible scenario - shame on the host. For doing something unethical (or illegal) and for making you cover for them.

If it was me, I would take the semi-hypocritical tack on this. I would play along, try to enjoy your stay and on your way out let the doorman know that you loved the building, loved the unit and hope to rent it again on Airbnb.

I'm one of those hypocrites that occasionally loves to rent an airbnb in Paris or Berlin but would HATE one in my own building.

Most cities in the USA make Airbnb a gray area, if not completely violating local bread & breakfast laws that require permits for running a B&B.

Guests using Airbnb should be familiar with the basic rental laws of the city they're subletting (Airbnb = subletting), knowing they're in the gray area- if not violating city zoning laws. If not comfortable with lying about being friends with the host, opt for formal city-permitted bed & breakfasts or hotels.

It's common for hosts to ask guests to say they're friends. A private security guard isn't someone you have to play 20 questions with.